Baroness Andrews: Trevor Phillips, the current chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, become chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights on 11 September. Following this appointment, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wrote to Trevor Phillips stating that she was minded to direct that the CRE join the CEHR in October 2007 instead of April 2009 as originally envisaged. She asked for his advice on this matter and will take a decision shortly based on his reply, including his consultation of the other equality bodies.

Lord Warner: The Department paid ER Consultants £22,530.74 in September this year and nothing in 2004-05 or 2005-06. Praesta was paid a total of £45,237.50 during 2005-06 and nothing in 2004-05 or so far in 2006-07. The payments were made as part of the department's HR and development programme for senior civil servants.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Based on the traffic volumes for the year to 31 March 2006:
	(a) On average, 140,000 vehicles, 93.7 per cent of total traffic, used the crossing between 6 am and midnight.
	(b) On average, 9,400 vehicles, 6.3 per cent of total traffic used the crossing at other times.